Business

EU diplomat pledges to expand EU-VN ties

Hanoi (VNA) – The Head of the European Union Delegation in Vietnam, Franz Jessen has stated he will make every possible effort to broaden and strengthen ties between Vietnam and the European bloc.

At a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on Feb. 14, Jessen said many EU businesses operating in Vietnam see the country as a market with huge potential. In 2011, the EU and Vietnam renewed their cooperation agreement, which was first signed in 1995. 2011 was also a fruitful year for bilateral economic cooperation as Vietnamese exports to the EU reached 16.5 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 45 percent.

According to the diplomat, the EU and the Vietnamese government held a series of seminars on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at working level and are now going to hold more at ministerial level. He said that if a FTA is signed, both the EU and Vietnam’s economies will benefit and relations between both parties will be significantly enhanced. Jessen also advised Vietnam to improve its investment environment so the country can attract more foreign investors, not only those from the EU./.